Xenos the outsider
by Xxthe disreputable dogxX
Summary: a woman of royal falcon and abhorsen blood was long ago found locked away in the shm'Ecl halls for her mixed breed. Her falcon heritage gives her the powerful magic, something that could break most of mixed blood, but it could be the charter that save her
1. Training

_[here is my first attempt at writing anything on this site, so enjoy. My own character is a world combined of the old kingdom and the one in kiesha'ra. this takes place after lirael returns to the kingdom to become the official abhorsen in the old kingdom series, so after the end of the book Abhorsen, and when Nicias is in Ahnmik, for the sake of my story, he is visiting when older in the kiesha'ra series]_

My knuckles were white as I gripped my sword, and I felt droplets of sweat running down my neck and sticking to the light tunic I wore. The symbols embedded in my sword flitted around, charter swirling with patterns I was just catching in my minds eye. I jabbed forward, the shimmering tip of my long curved blade disappearing into the black that was my target. The black seemed to shrink away from the blade, then reformed once I sheathed my sword once more.

I grinned, "Good job", I said, not expecting a response, but saying it out of habit nonetheless. The mass of black that moments before loomed above me, absorbing the light, shrunk. Four spindly limbs supported the rather shapeless thin form off the ground. At the approximation of where a head should be, two holes filled with blue burning fire glowed, showing the characteristics of a being of free magic. Appearing to be veiled, but still glowing ever so slightly, charter magic signs swam in the blackness that we the body of the thing before me. I brushed my hand against it, almost feeling as if there was fur, and feeling the warmth from the magics that were combined within it.

I pulled my hand back and strode from the small clearing to the shaded area where I had my stuff piled. I peeled the sweat-soaked shirt over my head and ran my fingers through my short cropped hair. I stretched, rolling my shoulders from the exertion with the sword practice. I rubbed my hand over the back of my shoulder, feeling the bare skin, so different from what I had become used to, yet familiar at the same time.

Sighing, I walked over to the stream nearby. I slid into the icy water, feeling the shivers up my spine. Before, standing in the clearing and the surrounding area, I didn't notice it, but I had felt the heaviness of death pulling on me. Here, in the flowing water, I felt this weight lift, and I felt a sharp clarity around me. I looked out back at my stuff and saw the shadow form sitting there, guarding me and my stuff, but unable to follow me into the water for the free magic that was woven into it.

I looked down at my arms and rubbed the skin clean. Under the ice cold sensation of the water, I could still feel the warm charter magic that was part of my skin and part of me. Looking at the pale skin of my arm, I could see the faintest patterns of feathers shining through.

I stood up from the water, shivering slightly in the breeze and shook myself, sending droplets of water onto the rocks and leaves around me. I patted myself dry with a cloth, and ran my fingers through the short, pale blond hair that laid just along my cheeks and neck. I pushed that majority of it back, yet left the shimmering strips of pale blue and violet hair framing my face. Digging through my clothes. Grabbing a strip of silvery material from my clothes, I began wrapping my arms tightly, hiding the feathered texture from view. I pulled over a loose blouse made of a light gray material that seemed to have a pale glow emanating from it. The back of the shirt hung down, exposing the majority of my back to sun and wind. For a moment the air around my shivered with the charter. My back tingled, and my peregrine falcon wings began to grow out, shining white, brown and black feathers speckled with reflective blues and purples hidden in the dark parts spreading out. I felt the power and magic that was heightened by my demi form spread through my veins, strengthened further by the charter and free magic that dwelled within me.

I picked up the bandolier laying on top of my bags, besides my sword in it's sheath. The bandolier, made of black leather and polished to a dull shine, had seven pouches, ranging in size from a small pillbox to a pouch the size of a fist. Shining mahogany handles stuck out of each, the wood flowed with the symbols of both the charter and the free magic. Running my hand over the handles for a moment, I put on the set of bells, tightening the belted leather around my waist. With my wings, I could not wear the bells on a typical bandolier of a necromancer, I had to improvise, and made this for myself and my situation, so I could wear the bells yet still have the wings that my demi form granted me. I buckled in the straps of my swords sheath onto the bandolier around my hip the tip of the the sheath reaching down my thigh, almost to my knee.

Tightening the straps of my bag laying on the ground, I hefted it over one shoulder and walked over the form of black magic. Placing my hand on it, it grew in size. The proportions changed, from the size of a small dog to those of a horse. The flaming eyes stayed, the rest still pitch black with charter. Wrapping my arm around the neck of the form, I pulled myself up with my lags on either side, as I would riding a horse, and I layed my pack in front of me. My wings folded against me and I patted the side of the form, and we began to move forward smoothly into the shadow of the trees.

_[please review, would love to see what people think :D gonna post the next chapter as soon as i get it done, so hopefully someone will be interested enough to read it]_


	2. The city

_[chapter 2. ta-da. sorry for any confusion about the thing i've been refering to as the "form" or "shadow" or such. im gonna make it make more sense pretty soon. i just haven't gotten to the point of explaining that yet] _

The trip through the forest was quiet, and relaxing. I leaned forward, resting my cheek on the shadow I rode upon. Heading into the forest was calming, the rustling of the leaves in the wind a lullaby. My arms were wrapped lightly around its neck, not for fear of falling off, but for the slight comfort that came with the touch. Riding was relaxing, soothing, and I allowed myself to slip into my thoughts. My eyes shut, the warmth of the breeze brushing my cheeks and hair.

I fell into a light sleep, dreams taking over my thoughts. I stood in a shallow never-ending river, gray mist around my ankles. My feet and ankles were submerged, yet they felt dry, and with a warm movement tugging at me. The sky above was black as night, yet starless. I had the bells around my waist, yet my wings were gone, and no matter how hard I tried to have them back, they refused to emerge. I saw a blond boy, striding with the flow of the water, his gait irregular, as if fighting the direction he was heading.

I ran forward, as fast as I could in the current and the water sprayed around me with each step. I grabbed the boys shoulder and spun him around. His eyes were a light violet, but they were glassy. "Damien!" I cried out, my voice echoing dimly in the fog and darkness, tears building in the corners of my eyes. The violet streaks in his hair seemed gray in the poor light, and his silvery shirt was ripped and dirty. Sadness struck his face, and he opened his mouth to speak, but no sound emerged. He kept stumbling backwards, the waters current pulling on him harder than on myself. We approached the gate, the massive waterfall roaring down. Damien fell backwards, the current swiftly grabbing him and pulling him to the waterfall. The mist swallowed him, and he disappeared quickly. Crying out, I ran forward. I tripped, and began to fall forward, into the waterfall, the massive amounts of water that would surely pull my under.

I jolted upright, my eyes flying open. My eyes shot around, looking where I was. I rubbed my hand over my eyes, pulling it away I felt the wetness on my palm. Tears stained my cheeks and my eyes stung. I sat up. Pulling my sleeve over my hand and drying my eyes.

I swung my leg over, and dropped to the ground from where I sat, sitting on the shadow. Looking ahead, I saw a huge white wall, the sun reflecting off of it. Off a ways was the gate, guards standing on either side, in uniform. Still hidden in the shadows, we were hidden. The shadow besides me shrunk, folding in on itself. Folding ever smaller, it slipped into my bag that I swing over my shoulder, and its presence added no weight to it. I did not need attention from the royal guard, and I folded my wings in, and they seemed to melt back into my skin, once again leaving the skin of my shoulder blades smooth and bare.

I strode forward, my hair brushed over my face. The guards stopped me, inquiring me of my name.

In a low voice, I answered, "Xenos. My name is Xenos."

"We've been waiting then.. but you are much... different than we were expecting. You've been provided and escort." The shorter of the two men in neatly adorned armor replied.

My eyebrows raised in confusion, why were they waiting for me, and how were they waiting for me. With the illusion spells I, and others imprisoned in the shm'Ecl halls, had cast, the Falcons should not yet realize my absence.

A group, comparable to a small army met at the gate in a matter of minutes.

"Follow", a small, yet stern sounding woman commanded.

I followed her, and as we moved the remnants of the group gathered behind, hiding me from view of the citizens we walked past, and the citizens from my view. I kept my eyes down, watching the tiled path below me, counting the tiles I stepped on. I felt enclosed, I felt like a prisoner once again, what I had just escaped from.

_ 1942, 1943, 1944._ Suddenly the counting was cut off as I ran headfirst into the guard in front of me stopped suddenly. I looked up, apologizing once then shutting my mouth once again. I looked up, and towering before us was a massive building, a huge door looming on its face. The ornate, massive door was a beautiful mahogany, carvings decorating it and it's frame. Seconds passed before it swung open, silent on its hinges. Walking into a huge hall, with a high ceiling that made it feel as if we were under the open sky itself, I felt anxious and unsure of what was to happen.

We entered yet another hall, and the guards in front of me stopped, bowed deeply, and split to either side, leaving the room and leaving me standing in the middle of the hall alone. Looking up from the tiles I gazed upon the people standing before of me. Side by side, the Wallmaker and the Abhorsen.

"Xenos. The Clayr Saw this moment.", Lirael spoke, her voice echoing in the empty hall.

_[I would love anyone's opinion if i should keep writing this. im starting to doubt the existence of people who've read both the Kiesha'ra and the old kingdom books. anyhow. sorry for any and all grammer/spelling/punctuation errors. i've never been great at that.]_


	3. The Abhorsen and the Wallmaker

_[i've sortof been obsessivly writing this, so ill likely have another up by the end of the night.]_

"Abhorsen", I replied keeping my voice even. As I spoke she strode forward, and heached out her hand to my forehead. Stopping, and looking at my face for approval, her hand rested just in front of my forehead. Nodding ever so slightly, I allowed her actions. With her index and middle finger, she lightly touched my forehead and the charter mark that was upon it. As she touched it, I felt a rush of charter magic swirling around me.

Sameth strode forward as well, "Is her Charter pure?", he inquired.

"Yes, and strong. Surprisingly so.", She replied.

"But the bells. She must be a necromancer. I mean, _you _are the Abhorsen, and she ca-"

"The Clayr." Lirael cut him off mid sentence.

"Oh.. they explained this to you when you last visited then?"

"Briefly, they explained what they could for they didn't see much"

I spoke up, "They Clayr? Who are the Clayr?"

Both heads turned from eachother to look at me, "You dont know who the Clayr are?" They said, eyes wide with disbelief.

"No.. im not exactly from here..."

"So your from Ancelstierre then"

"No... im not. I'm from Ahnmik"

Lireal's eyes flashed with surprise before she regained her composition.

Catching the expression, I continued, "I was imprisoned in the halls of shm'Ecl. Up until recently I laid... nearly dormant. I myself was trapped in the Ecl.. until a recent event changed that. Another person sought me out, and they gave me the general directions to here. But I had to learn the ways of these people, much different than the kingdom I know. Somehow, coming to this land has helped my magic, and changed it."

"Your magic? How Is it different?"

"It's Ecl. Here.. its more... controlled."

"How did you get the charter mark if you were born out of the borders?" Sam broke in.

"I don't know. I never have." I replied.

"Sam. You need to leave. I need to speak to Xenos alone I would think." Lirael said softly.

Confusion breifly crossed his face, then her turned on his heels and strode swiftly to the door, left, and it clicked closed.

"Now", Lirael spoke, "Tell me of your trip here from Ahnmik."

_[i know its short. and full of dialogue which im terrible at writing. oh well.]_


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